neuschwanstein tourist killed

American man pushed 2 U.S. tourists into ravine at German castle, killing one woman, police say

An American man has been arrested in the death of a U.S. tourist and an assault on another near Neuschwanstein castle in southern Germany after he allegedly pushed the two women down a steep slope, authorities said Thursday.

The incident near the popular tourist attraction happened on Wednesday afternoon near the Marienbruecke, a bridge over a gorge close to the castle that offers a famous view of Neuschwanstein.

The 30-year-old man met the two female tourists, ages 21 and 22, on a hiking path and lured them onto a trail that leads to a viewpoint, police said in a statement.

He then “physically attacked” the younger woman, police said. When her companion tried to intervene, he choked her and pushed her down a steep slope.

The assailant then appears to have attempted to sexually assault the 21-year-old before pushing her down the slope as well. She fell nearly 165 feet, ending up close to her friend.

A mountain rescue team reached both women. The 22-year-old was “responsive” and taken to a hospital, police said; a helicopter carried the 21-year-old to a different hospital with serious injuries, and she died there overnight.

The suspect left the scene but was arrested quickly nearby. Bystander video posted online showed police leading away a handcuffed man in a T-shirt, jeans and a baseball cap.

Witness Eric Abneri, a recent business graduate from the University of Pittsburgh who shot the video, said the man appeared to have scratches across his face.

“He did not say a single word. He didn’t open his mouth; he didn’t mumble,” Abneri told The Associated Press. “He just walked with the police and that was it.”

Abneri said he and friends arrived at the scenic overlook as a helicopter arrived and they saw rescuers lower themselves down to the victims.

“I’m honestly absolutely stunned someone is still alive from this. It is like falling from the top of an absolute cliff,” he said.

Abneri described it as “a very, very difficult rescue because of those cliffs and because the helicopter came mere feet above the tree line at the top of the hill.”

“They did an unbelievable job,” he said.

Police said the man they arrested was American and described him as also a tourist; prosecutors said the women were fellow U.S. citizens. The 22-year-old remained hospitalized Thursday, according to prosecutors.

Authorities didn’t identify either the suspect or the victims or give any further details.

Police said a judge in nearby Kempten on Thursday ordered the suspect held pending a potential indictment — a process that can take months — and he was taken to jail. He is under investigation on suspicion of murder, attempted murder and a sexual offense.

Police said they and prosecutors were focusing on trying to reconstruct exactly what happened and called for any witnesses to come forward.

Neuschwanstein, located in southern Bavaria close to Austria’s border, is one of Germany’s most popular tourist attractions.

It is the most famous of the castles built by King Ludwig II of Bavaria in the 19th century. Construction started in 1869 but was never completed. Ludwig died in 1886.

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An American is arrested over the death of a U.S. tourist at a German castle

The Associated Press

Authorities say a tourist has died after a man attacked her and a companion near Neuschwanstein castle in southern Germany. The incident near the popular tourist attraction close to the Austrian border happened Wednesday afternoon. Frank Rumpenhorst/AP hide caption

Authorities say a tourist has died after a man attacked her and a companion near Neuschwanstein castle in southern Germany. The incident near the popular tourist attraction close to the Austrian border happened Wednesday afternoon.

BERLIN — Police in southern Germany are appealing for photos and videos taken by witnesses of an attack near Neuschwanstein castle in which an American man allegedly pushed two women down a steep slope, killing one of them. A suspect was arrested following the attack.

German news agency dpa quoted police as saying Friday that they have so far received about a dozen submissions on a specially created website , but assume many more images were taken by tourists present at the site.

"We are looking for photographs which, by chance, show two young women and a man (approx. 30 years old) who were staying east of the Marienbruecke," Kempten police said on their website. "These persons may have been walking together or separately."

In this image taken from video, a suspect is taken away by two police officers near Neuschwanstein castle in Schwangau, southern Germany on Thursday. An American man has been arrested after allegedly assaulting two U.S. tourists near the castle and then pushing them down a steep slope. Eric Abneri/AP hide caption

In this image taken from video, a suspect is taken away by two police officers near Neuschwanstein castle in Schwangau, southern Germany on Thursday. An American man has been arrested after allegedly assaulting two U.S. tourists near the castle and then pushing them down a steep slope.

The Marienbruecke, or Mary's Bridge, is a popular vantage point for photos of Neuschwanstein, the most famous of the castles built by King Ludwig II of Bavaria in the 19th century.

According to the initial police investigation, the suspect met the two female tourists, Americans aged 21 and 22, on a hiking path and lured them onto a trail that leads to a viewpoint.

"The younger of the two women was attacked by the suspect," police spokesman Holger Stabik said. "The older one tried to rush to her aid, was then choked by the suspect and subsequently pushed down a slope."

The assailant then appears to have attempted to sexually assault the 21-year-old before pushing her down the slope as well, prosecutors said. She fell nearly 50 meters (165 feet), ending up close to her friend.

Both women were recovered by mountain rescuers. The 21-year-old was flown to a hospital with serious injuries and later died. The 22-year-old remains hospitalized, but is "responsive," police said.

Authorities haven't named either of the victims or given any further details.

People watch the Neuschwanstein castle, in Schwangau, Germany, Thursday, June 15, 2023. Frank Rumpenhorst/AP hide caption

People watch the Neuschwanstein castle, in Schwangau, Germany, Thursday, June 15, 2023.

The suspect, who likewise was not identified, remains in custody on suspicion of murder and attempted murder, prosecutors said, adding it wasn't clear how long he had been in the country.

The U.S. Embassy in Berlin said it was aware of the incident and the consulate in Munich was in contact with authorities.

"Due to privacy considerations, we are unable to comment further at this time," the embassy said in a statement.

• neuschwanstein

US tourist killed after man pushed her off steep slope at popular castle in Germany, police say

BERLIN — An American man has been arrested over the death of one U.S. tourist and an assault on another near Neuschwanstein castle in southern Germany after he allegedly pushed the two women down a steep slope, authorities said Thursday.

The incident near the popular tourist attraction happened on Wednesday afternoon near the Marienbruecke, a bridge over a gorge close to the castle that offers a famous view of Neuschwanstein.

The 30-year-old man met the two female tourists, ages 21 and 22, on a hiking path and lured them onto a trail that leads to a viewpoint, police said in a statement.

"The younger of the two women was attacked by the suspect," said police spokesman Holger Stabik. "The older one tried to rush to her aid, was then choked by the suspect and subsequently pushed down a slope. "

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The assailant then appears to have attempted to sexually assault the 21-year-old before pushing her down the slope as well. She fell nearly 50 meters (165 feet), ending up close to her friend.

A mountain rescue team reached both women. The 22-year-old was "responsive" and taken to a hospital, police said; a helicopter carried the 21-year-old with serious injuries to a different hospital, and she died there overnight.The suspect left the scene but was quickly arrested nearby. Bystander video posted online showed police leading away a handcuffed man in a T-shirt, jeans and a baseball cap.

Eric Abneri, a recent business graduate from the University of Pittsburgh who took the video, said the man appeared to have scratches across his face.

"He did not say a single word. He didn't open his mouth; he didn't mumble," Abneri told The Associated Press. "He just walked with the police and that was it."

Abneri said he and friends reached the scenic overlook as a helicopter arrived and they saw rescuers lower themselves down to the victims.

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"I'm honestly absolutely stunned someone is still alive from this. It is like falling from the top of an absolute cliff," he said.

Abneri described it as "a very, very difficult rescue because of those cliffs and because the helicopter came mere feet above the tree line at the top of the hill."

"They did an unbelievable job," he said.

Police said the man they arrested was American and described him as also a tourist; prosecutors said the women were fellow U.S. citizens. The 22-year-old remained hospitalized Thursday, according to prosecutors.

Authorities didn't identify either the suspect or the victims or give any further details.

Police said a judge in nearby Kempten on Thursday ordered the suspect held pending a potential indictment — a process that can take months — and he was taken to jail. He is under investigation on suspicion of murder, attempted murder and a sexual offense.

Police said they and prosecutors were focusing on trying to reconstruct exactly what happened and called for any witnesses to come forward.

Neuschwanstein, located in southern Bavaria close to Austria's border, is one of Germany's most popular tourist attractions.

It is the most famous of the castles built by King Ludwig II of Bavaria in the 19th century. Construction started in 1869 but was never completed. Ludwig died in 1886.

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German police appeal for images taken of an attack in which Americans were pushed down a steep slope

FILE - People stay on the Marien-Bridge at Castle Neuschwanstein, a 19th century creation by Bavaria’s fairy tale king Ludwig II and world renowned tourist attraction, is pictured in Hohenschwangau near Fuessen, southern Germany, Thursday, June 15, 2023. A U.S. hiker who was sexually assaulted and killed in Germany last week had just graduated from the University of Illinois with a computer science degree in May. A Michigan man attacked her and a 22-year-old friend while they were hiking near Neuschwanstein castle on June 14. (Frank Rumpenhorst/dpa via AP, File)

People watch the Neuschwanstein castle, in Schwangau, Germany, Thursday, June 15, 2023. Authorities say an American man has been arrested in Germany after allegedly assaulting two tourists he met near Neuschwanstein castle. The attack, which occurred on Wednesday, left one of the women dead. Police said Thursday that the 30-year-old man met the two women on a hiking path and lured them onto a trail. They said the man then “physically attacked” the younger woman. (Frank Rumpenhorst/dpa via AP)

In this image taken from video, a suspect is taken away by two police officers near Neuschwanstein castle in Schwangau, southern Germany, Thursday June 15, 2023. An American man has been arrested after allegedly assaulting two U.S. tourists near Neuschwanstein castle in southern Germany and then pushing them down a steep slope, an attack that left one of the women dead, authorities said Thursday. (Eric Abneri via AP)

Tourists stand on the Marienbr’cke bridge, near the Neuschwanstein castle, in Schwangau, Germany, Thursday, June 15, 2023. Authorities say an American man has been arrested in Germany after allegedly assaulting two tourists he met near Neuschwanstein castle. The attack, which occurred on Wednesday, left one of the women dead. Police said Thursday that the 30-year-old man met the two women on a hiking path and lured them onto a trail. They said the man then “physically attacked” the younger woman. (Frank Rumpenhorst/dpa via AP)

FILE - Castle Neuschwanstein, a 19th century creation by Bavaria’s fairy tale king Ludwig II and world renowned tourist attraction, is pictured in Hohenschwangau near Fuessen, southern Germany, on Monday, May 9, 2011. Authorities say a man has attacked two women near Neuschwanstein castle in southern Germany, killing one. Police say the women were attacked Wednesday afternoon near the popular tourist site and the man fled but was arrested. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader, File)

A view of the Neuschwanstein castle, in Schwangau, Germany, Thursday, June 15, 2023. Authorities say an American man has been arrested in Germany after allegedly assaulting two tourists he met near Neuschwanstein castle. The attack, which occurred on Wednesday, left one of the women dead. Police said Thursday that the 30-year-old man met the two women on a hiking path and lured them onto a trail. They said the man then “physically attacked” the younger woman. (Frank Rumpenhorst/dpa via AP)

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BERLIN (AP) — Police in southern Germany are appealing for photos and videos taken by witnesses of an attack near Neuschwanstein castle in which an American man allegedly pushed two women down a steep slope, killing one of them. A suspect was arrested following the attack.

German news agency dpa quoted police as saying Friday that they have so far received about a dozen submissions on a specially created website , but assume many more images were taken by tourists present at the site.

“We are looking for photographs which, by chance, show two young women and a man (approx. 30 years old) who were staying east of the Marienbruecke,” Kempten police said on their website. “These persons may have been walking together or separately.”

The Marienbruecke, or Mary’s Bridge, is a popular vantage point for photos of Neuschwanstein, the most famous of the castles built by King Ludwig II of Bavaria in the 19th century.

According to the initial police investigation, the suspect met the two female tourists, Americans aged 21 and 22, on a hiking path and lured them onto a trail that leads to a viewpoint.

“The younger of the two women was attacked by the suspect,” police spokesman Holger Stabik said. “The older one tried to rush to her aid, was then choked by the suspect and subsequently pushed down a slope.”

The assailant then appears to have attempted to sexually assault the 21-year-old before pushing her down the slope as well, prosecutors said. She fell nearly 50 meters (165 feet), ending up close to her friend.

Both women were recovered by mountain rescuers. The 21-year-old was flown to a hospital with serious injuries and later died. The 22-year-old remains hospitalized, but is “responsive,” police said.

Authorities haven’t named either of the victims or given any further details.

The suspect, who likewise was not identified, remains in custody on suspicion of murder and attempted murder, prosecutors said, adding it wasn’t clear how long he had been in the country.

The U.S. Embassy in Berlin said it was aware of the incident and the consulate in Munich was in contact with authorities.

“Due to privacy considerations, we are unable to comment further at this time,” the embassy said in a statement.

Man arrested in killing of U.S. tourist on cliff near German castle

The 30-year-old is in custody after allegedly pushing two female tourists off a cliff near Neuschwanstein Castle

German police arrested a 30-year-old U.S. man in the killing and attempted sexual assault of an American tourist last week near Neuschwanstein Castle , a popular tourist attraction in Bavaria.

Police said he pushed two women down a 150-foot drop close to the edge of a pedestrian bridge that overlooks the castle in southern Germany outside the village of Schwangau.

A 21-year-old woman died in the hospital after the Füssen mountain rescue service retrieved her with a helicopter, police said . Her 22-year-old friend, whom police said the suspect choked when she intervened in the attack, survived the fall. The man and both women are U.S. citizens, the Associated Press reported . Their identities were not released by officials.

This week, family members and a church leader identified the victims as recent graduates of the University of Illinois. Eva Liu, 21, died in the incident, according to the Rev. Mark Zhang of Living Water Evangelical Church in Naperville, Ill. The family attended the church and Liu’s parents told him that she had been killed, the AP reported . Kelsey Chang, 22, of Normal, Ill., survived the attack and was reportedly on a flight back to the United States on Tuesday. The suspect is from Michigan, according to the AP and ABC 7 Chicago .

According to police, the three tourists met on a hiking trail east of the Marienbrücke bridge in the German Alps, and the man lured the two women to a trail out of public view. Police suspect he attempted a sexual attack on the 21-year-old, and he choked and pushed the 22-year-old when she tried to intervene.

At Neuschwanstein, there was a rescue of multiple people from a helicopter and one was taken out in handcuffs, seemingly after they fell from a cliff and climbed over railings. pic.twitter.com/yVGqqSRlwX — Eric Abneri (@thefrownyface) June 14, 2023

The man was arrested near the scene shortly after authorities launched a search upon receiving a complaint around 2:40 p.m. June 14. The suspect appeared in Kempten District Court the following day and was taken to a correctional facility, police say.

Another visitor, Eric Abneri, who captured video of the arrest, told the Associated Press that the man appeared to have scratches on his face. Abneri and his friends also saw the rescue.

“I’m honestly absolutely stunned someone is still alive from this,” Abneri told the AP. “It is like falling from the top of an absolute cliff.”

Bavarian king Ludwig II ordered the construction of the Neuschwanstein Castle in the 19th century. It is one of the most visited castles in Europe .

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American tourist killed, another injured in attack near Germany's Neuschwanstein castle, police say

Neuschwanstein was the inspiration for the castle in Disney's "Sleeping Beauty."

BERLIN and LONDON -- An American tourist was killed and another was injured when they were attacked by an American man they met near the famous Neuschwanstein castle in southern Germany, authorities said Thursday.

The incident occurred Wednesday afternoon in the German state of Bavaria near the Marienbruecke, a pedestrian bridge popular for its stunning view of Neuschwanstein. Nestled on the edge of the Bavarian Alps, the 19th-century palace was the inspiration for the castle in Disney's "Sleeping Beauty." Two women, ages 21 and 22, met a 30-year-old man on a hiking trail east of the bridge who then lured them onto a path that led to a viewpoint, according to a statement from the Bavarian State Police.

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The man then "physically attacked" the younger woman, police said. When the other woman tried to intervene, the man choked her and pushed her down a steep slope. He then apparently attempted to sexually assault the 21-year-old before also pushing her down the slope. Both women fell nearly 50 meters (165 feet), according to police.

A mountain rescue service from the nearby town of Fuessen rescued both women. The 22-year-old was injured but responsive and taken to a hospital. The 21-year-old suffered serious injuries and was airlifted to a hospital, where she died overnight, police said.

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The suspect had left the scene but was arrested close by soon after, according to police.

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Although the names of the suspect and the victims have not yet been released, a Bavarian State Police spokesperson confirmed to ABC News that all three were American tourists.

The suspect appeared before a judge in the nearby town of Kempten on Thursday and was ordered to be held in jail pending a potential indictment. He is under investigation on suspicion of murder, attempted murder and sexual offense, according to police.

Police have called for any witnesses to come forward as they continue to investigate the alleged attack.

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German castle attack: American victims in deadly Neuschwanstein tourist attack are named

Two university of illinois were shoved into a ravine in the german state of bavaria, article bookmarked.

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The two American women who were attacked while they hiked a trail near a famous castle in Germany had recently graduated college.

Eva Liu, 21, and Kelsey Chang, 22, had travelled to Germany following their May graduation from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, DailyMail.com first reported.

A university spokesperson confirmed in a statement to The Independent that Ms Chang and Ms Liu were the victims shoved down into a ravine near the historic Neuschwanstein Castle in the German state Bavaria on Wednesday. Ms Liu died as a result of injuries she sustained during the 164ft fall, while Ms Chang remains in hospital.

“Both had just graduated in May and should have been able to celebrate such an important accomplishment without the fear of such a tragic outcome,” the office of the university chancellor said. “Our thoughts are with Ms. Chang as she recovers and with both of their families as they grieve.”

A 30-year-old American man has been arrested and charged with murder, attempted murder and sexual offences.

What we know about the attack by Neuschwanstein castle

An idyllic tourist spot in Germany became the site of a shocking tragedy when two American women were thrown over the edge of a steep gorge - allegedly by an American man who sexually assaulted them.

German police are investigating an incident which took place Wednesday (15 June) near the famous Neuschwanstein castle.

A 30-year-old suspect allegedly attempted to assault the two women before forcing them over a ledge.

Both women, ages 21 and 22, were rescued, but the younger one died of her injuries soon after.

The victims and alleged assailant have yet to be named.

Here’s what we know so far:

What we know about two women being thrown off cliff near German castle

Police investigating incident as murder, writes Josh Marcus

Witness describes scratches on suspect’s face

Video posted online showed police arresting the 30-year-old suspect after he fled from the scene of the attack. He is seen wearing a T-shirt, jeans and a baseball cap.

The video was recorded by Eric Aberneri, who told the Associated Press that the man appeared to have scratches on his face.

“He did not say a single word. He didn’t open his mouth; he didn’t mumble,” Mr Abneri, a recent business graduate from the University of Pittsburgh, told the outlet. “He just walked with the police and that was it.”

Mr Abneri also described how he and his friends reached the scenic overlook as a helicopter flew in to rescue the victims.

“I’m honestly absolutely stunned someone is still alive from this. It is like falling from the top of an absolute cliff,” he said.

He said the rescue was “very, very difficult” as the helicopter had to hover just feet over the treeline as crews were lowered down to the victims.

“They did an unbelievable job,” he said of the rescuers.

What do we know about the suspect?

Little is known about the suspect, other than that he is a 30-year-old American man.

He did not know the victims prior to the attack, authorities said.

The man reportedly appeared in court on Thursday and was ordered to be held in jail pending an indictment - which could take months, the Associated Press reported.

He is being investigated on suspicion of murder, attempted murder and a sexual offense.

Where is Neuschwanstein castle?

Neuschwanstein castle sits in the foothills of the Alps on Germany’s southern edge.

It was built by King Ludwig II of Bavaria , with construction beginning in 1869 but never actually coming to completion.

The king never ended up living at the castle before his death in 1886, after which it was opening to the public.

The towering estate is one of Germany ‘s most popular tourist attractions and is said to have been the inspiration for various Disney castles.

More than 1.3 million people visit the site each year, with up to 6,000 visitors each day in during the peak summer season.

ICYMI: Two US women attacked by American while touring castle in Germany

On Wednesday afternoon, two American women, aged 21 and 22, were forced off a steep ledge at the Marienbrücke, a pedestrain bridge with sweeping views of the castle, which sits above a high river gorge.

“The two tourists met the man on a hiking tour east of the Marienbrücke,” Chief Public Prosecutor Thomas Hörmann told German tabloid Bild.

“The man then steered the two under a pretext to a trail that was difficult to see, which leads to a viewpoint,” Bavarian police said in a statement .

Once out of sight, the 30-year-old assailant reportedly tried to attack the women, going after the younger woman first, prompting the 22-year-old to try and defend her, police said.

“The younger of the two women was attacked by the suspect,” police spokesman Holger Stabik told the AP . “The older one tried to rush to her aid, was then choked by the suspect and subsequently pushed down a slope. ”

After that, the man made an “attempted sexual offence” on the 21-year-old and pushed her over the ledge as well, DW reports .

American suspect to be tried in Germany, report says

German prosecutors are not considering extradition for the man accused of murdering an American tourist, according to the German outlet Rheinische Post .

However, a later transfer for the execution of the sentence is possible, a spokesperson for the local public prosecutor’s office said.

German police seeks help in investigation

Authorities in Kempten have asked witnesses who may have video or pictures of the moments leading up to the attack and the incident itself to forward them to the department. According to the German outlet Rheinische Post , police believe there is a lot of material that needs to be reviewed by detectives.

“We hope that this will further clarify the situation before and after the crime,” a police spokesman said.

Suspect. in custody

The suspect was caught after a massive police operation involving 25 emergency vehicles on Wednesday afternoon and taken to a police station in nearby Fuessen.

The American suspect is in a German correctional facility, as officials investigate the attack as a potential sexual offence, murder, and attempted murder.

“The allegation is not yet established,” prosecutor Hörmann told DW .

Kempten criminal police are leading the investigation , and are asking those with knowledge of the incident to get in contact with them.

Who is the alleged attacker?

Bavarian police said the attacker was a 30-year-old US national, DW reports .

The man appeared before a judge at the Kempten District Court, but did not comment on a motive behind the attack.

It is unclear how long he had been in Germany, but he has been described by local authorities as a tourist.

Bystander video posted online showed police leading away a handcuffed, bearded man in a T-shirt, jeans and a baseball cap.

German police arrest man accused of throwing women off bridge at castle

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American Woman Dies at Neuschwanstein Castle After Push Down Cliff

The woman, 21, was visiting the popular German site with a friend when they met a man who persuaded them to take a little-used trail and then assaulted them both, the police said.

By Christopher F. Schuetze

Reporting from Berlin

One American woman was killed and another was injured on Wednesday when a man pushed them down a cliff near Neuschwanstein Castle, the popular German tourist site at the foot of the Alps, the local police said.

The police in Bavaria — the state containing the castle, which is said to have been the inspiration for Sleeping Beauty Castle in Disneyland in California — said they had arrested a 30-year-old American suspect after a manhunt that included a helicopter and search dogs. They appealed for any witnesses who may have seen or filmed the deadly episode, in which the man was also said to have tried to sexually assault one of the women.

“It’s a very rare and noteworthy thing to happen there,” said Holger Stabik, a police spokesman. “We very rarely have any crime there at all.”

The police did not release the victims’ or the suspect’s names or home states.

The two women, friends age 21 and 22, were visiting the site as tourists, the police said in a statement . On Wednesday, the women were near the castle when they met an American man, who persuaded them to join him on a little-used unofficial hiking trail that led into a forest and toward the picturesque cliffs surrounding the castle, the police said.

Once out of view of the busy official path, they said, he attacked the 21-year-old. When the 22-year-old tried to intervene, the man pushed her down the steep cliff, according to the police, before trying to sexually assault the 21-year-old and then pushing her down the cliff as well.

Both women plunged about 150 feet and, shortly afterward, were rescued by the local mountain patrol and flown by emergency airlift to a hospital, according to the police. But the 21-year-old woman died from her injuries that night.

The 22-year-old was in stable condition and was able to speak with investigators, according to the police.

Neuschwanstein Castle, near the Austrian border about 50 miles southwest of Munich, is one of Germany’s most popular tourist destinations. The castle, built by King Ludwig II of Bavaria in the second half of the 19th century, attracts about 1.4 million visitors each year.

Eric Abneri, 21, a New York native, said in an interview that he had been visiting the castle with a couple of friends during a tour of Europe on Wednesday. When he saw a helicopter trying to rescue the two women, he and his friends believed there had been an ordinary hiking accident. But he soon came across the police search and watched as officers led a man away, a scene that he filmed and then posted on Twitter.

Mr. Abneri said that the man had not resisted when being taken away by the police, and that the man had the look of a “generic tourist.”

“The only thing that stuck out to me is that he had a lot of red marks on his face and neck,” Mr. Abneri said in the interview, adding, “He really looked like the victims clawed into him.”

An earlier version of this article misidentified the building that Disney is said to have modeled on Neuschwanstein Castle. It is Sleeping Beauty’s castle, not Snow White’s.

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Christopher F. Schuetze covers German news, society and occasionally arts from the Berlin bureau. Before moving to Germany, he lived in the Netherlands, where he covered everything from tulips to sea-level rise. More about Christopher F. Schuetze

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American woman injured in fatal attack on fellow American tourist near German castle released from hospital

By Haley Ott , Brian Dakss

June 20, 2023 / 4:33 AM EDT / CBS News

Police in Germany said Monday that a 22-year-old American injured in an attack Thursday near a castle in Germany that led to the death of her 21-year-old American friend has been released from a hospital.

Police spokesperson Holger Stabik said the was able to leave the hospital on Friday, according to The Associated Press.

The woman was hurt when she and her friend were assaulted, allegedly by another American tourist.

Police in the southeast German state of Bavaria confirmed to CBS News that a U.S. national was arrested in connection with the incident, and Stefan Rinke, the mayor of Schwangau, in Bavaria, told local media that all three people involved were American.

Their names haven't been released due to German privacy laws.

The women were hiking near Neuschwanstein Castle, which inspired the castle in Disney's movie "Cinderella" and attracts more than a million tourists a year, when they met a 30-year-old man who told them to follow him down a trail leading to a secret viewpoint.

When the two women followed him, the suspect attacked the 21-year-old victim, Stabik said. Her friend tried to intervene and the man choked her and pushed her down a steep slope. He then attempted to sexually assault the 21-year-old, Stabik said, before pushing her down the slope as well.

Both women fell approximately 165 feet.

Rescue workers found the two women and the 21-year-old was flown by helicopter to a hospital, where she died of her injuries. Stabik told CBS News on Friday that the 22-year-old woman suffered minor injuries.

"The perpetrator at first moved away from the scene of the crime after the assault," Stabik told journalists on Thursday. "Whether this was a classic escape or not is not entirely known. In any case, he was then arrested a short time later by police officers on the basis of a witness tip in the immediate vicinity of the crime."

Stabik said police have received about two dozen photos and videos on a specially created website, adding that investigators are asking anyone who has more video or images of the suspect and victims to provide them to police.

Eric Abneri was visiting Neuschwanstein Castle from New York and captured video on his phone of the suspect being led away by police.

"His face was covered in deep red scratch marks and his neck as well," Abneri told CBS News on Thursday. "There was clearly a struggle there, and he just had a frown on his face. He didn't say anything. He had a sort of disturbed look."

A spokesperson for the U.S. Embassy in Berlin told CBS News on Thursday that it was "aware of an incident involving multiple individuals" but declined to provide further information citing "privacy considerations."   

The official said the embassy was communicating with German authorities on the matter.

A spokesperson for prosecutors told the AP it might take as long as four months for them to decide whether to indict the suspect.

CBS News' Anna Noryskiewicz in Berlin and Emmet Lyons in London contributed to this report.

Haley Ott is the CBS News Digital international reporter, based in the CBS News London bureau.

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Tourist sexually assaulted then shoved to death near german castle id’d as recent grad.

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A young tourist who was sexually assaulted then fatally thrown into a ravine near a world-famous “Cinderella”-style castle in Germany was identified Friday as a 21-year-old recent University of Illinois graduate, authorities said Friday.

Eva Liu, of Naperville, Ill., was killed while visiting the Neuschwanstein Castle in Schwangau Wednesday afternoon, when a 30-year-old man pushed her off the 165-foot gorge in a stunning attack, police and school officials said.

Liu had traveled to the castle — a tourist hotspot believed to have inspired the palace in Disney’s “Cinderella” movie — with classmate Kelsey Chang, 22, who was also thrown off the cliff by the assailant but survived, the officials said.

“Our University of Illinois family is mourning the senseless death of Ms. Liu and the attack on Ms. Chang,” associate chancellor of University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Robin Kaler told the UK Mirror .

“Both had just graduated in May and should have been able to celebrate such an important accomplishment without the fear of such a tragic outcome.”

The unidentified American suspect — who was reportedly staying at the same hotel as the college grads — was arrested Wednesday after allegedly luring the women to a trail that led to an overlook, then “physically attacking” Liu, police said.

When Chang tried to help, he allegedly choked her and pushed her off the side of the steep cliff, where a tree broke her fall, according to authorities.

He allegedly then tried to sexually assault Liu before fatally shoving her into the gorge, where she suffered serious injuries and was airlifted to a hospital.

She was pronounced dead the following day. 

Chang only suffered minor injuries from the long fall, police told the Daily Mail Friday . Footage appears to show her hanging onto a fallen tree partway down steep slope.

The young women had been staying at the same hotel as the attacker, The Seibel in Munich, but didn’t know him, the outlet reported.

Chang was recovering in the hospital Friday, according to German media reports.

“The two tourists happened to meet the man on a hiking tour east of the Marienbrücke and joined him,” Chief Public Prosecutor Thomas Hörmann told the German newspaper, Bild .

The suspect was held on murder, attempted murder and sexual assault charges, authorities said.

Witness Eric Abneri said the suspect appeared to have bloody scratches across his face, and said nothing as police arrested him.

“I’m honestly absolutely stunned someone is still alive from this. It is like falling from the top of an absolute cliff,” he said.

A bridge near the castle, which draws a total of 1.4 million visitors each year, was temporarily closed due to the incident.

The castle was built by King Ludwig II of Bavaria, who hid out there after losing in the Austro-Prussian war in 1866.

With Post wires

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Naperville City Council remembers Eva Liu, woman killed in German castle attack

BERLIN (WLS) -- Naperville's City Council held a moment of silence in honor of 21-year-old Eva Liu before their meeting Tuesday.

Liu grew up in the western suburb. She was going to be a software engineer for Microsoft. Now her twin sister and father are back from Germany after arranging for her body to be returned.

Liu's friend, 22-year-old Kelsey Chang has just been released from the hospital. The two recently graduated from the University of Illinois in May.

They were visiting a famous castle in Germany last week, when investigators said a 30-year-old man from Michigan lured them onto a hidden trail and pushed them into a ravine.

Chang fell 165 feet down a steep slope, but survived after being caught by a tree. Liu died at the hospital.

"Eva Liu represented the best of our community. She was a vibrant, intelligent, kind young woman with a bright future," said Naperville Mayor Scott Wehrli.

The suspect is now being held on suspicion of murder, attempted murder and attempted sexual assault. He arrived back in the U.S. overnight under heavy police protection.

Donna, a neighbor of the Michigan man, arrested in this attack.

"I'm in shock, mainly because they appear to be a really nice family you know, courteous, friendly, shovels my snow in the winter," she said.

Liu's family is asking for privacy while trying to make unexpected funeral arrangements.

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• CHAMPAIGN URBANA
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• U.S. & WORLD
• UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS

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